Dream Jobs Require Leadership

Wonderful Dublin, fine impression of the capital of Ireland, taken in early 2010, with love and so much more…:) (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/uggboy/4405805408/) by UggBoy ( have fun doing it ) (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/uggboy/)

How long has it been since you started a dream job?

If you are a grizzly old veteran of the work force, you probably don’t think too much about the person starting their first day on their dream job. Been there, done that.

But remember the feelings you had when you started that first day (http://leadertalk NULL.mountainstate NULL.edu/2010/02/think-about-your-first-job NULL.html), long ago? Maybe it wasn’t your dream job, but it was new. Exciting. Nerve-racking. Sweaty palms stuff.

Praying you hadn’t just made a huge mistake by taking this dream job. Thankful that you finally were able to get a dream job.

Most of all, you were hopeful. Hopeful that you’d like the work. Like the manager. Like your coworkers — and they would like you. Hopeful that all those horrible stories about managers and companies wouldn’t come true at this gig. Hopeful that you could focus on your work and not on the politics. Hopeful that what you thought was a dream job would actually be your dream job.

Do you remember hopeful? I do. And so does the person starting their new dream job.

Leaders encourage newcomers on their dream job

Everyone can be a leader. There is nothing more helpful to a new person starting their dream job than giving encouragement that he or she made the right decision. That he or she is welcomed into the group.

Starting a new dream job means everything is new. Everything is different — even if it is a different job in the same company.

Leaders reassure people and are curious about newcomers lives. They are interested in people as people. They look for ways to find common ground (http://humanresources NULL.about NULL.com/od/involvementteams/a/team_culture NULL.htm).

Leaders offer hope.

Leaders help find value

In the book, ‘I’ve Landed My Dream Job — Now What???’ I talk through the need for individuals starting out in their dream job to start determining their unique value to the team.

Left unsaid is that everyone should try and help the new employee determine their unique value to the team. It makes the team stronger and able to handle higher levels of work (http://www NULL.brianmac NULL.co NULL.uk/articles/scni13a2 NULL.htm). Managers should have some idea of how the new employee can help the team — the manager should start to determine if what he or she thought was accurate.

While companies can think employees are a commodity to use to achieve their goals, managers and coworkers should know that the strongest teams will survive the longest — and thrive in good conditions.

But instead of helping an individual figure out their unique value to the team, too often we just keep doing what we do and let the new person figure it all out. Much better to help determine the unique value to the team — it makes the team stronger. Sure, the new person has to prove his or her value to the team, but encouragement and support will go a long way to help.

Being on a team is a two-way street

Business is social, of course. Meeting new people, getting to know them and helping them figure out what needs figuring out is tough for some people. If you are on a team, you can help yourself and your team by offering encouragement and help (http://www NULL.aetc NULL.af NULL.mil/news/story NULL.asp?id=123192675) to someone just starting their dream job.